Jan 30, 2012
Fredericton Blogger Arrested
Police in Fredericton, New Brunswick are investigating a resident who is accused of defamatory libel due to comments found on his blog. According to University of New Brunswick associate law professor Julia Hughes, defamatory libel as a criminal (rather than civil) offence is something very rare in Canada.
The blogger’s apartment was searched and his computer was seized. The individual has commented and associates the defamatory libel investigation to something he said about a police offer on his website.
From a civil rights perspective it will be interesting to follow the outcome of this very rare case. Considering the investigation was launched by a police officer as a criminal case it is very unique. Also, it may have wide reaching repercussions due to its originating from the internet. For instance, should bloggers have the same freedom of press as a journalist enjoys? There are a lot of questions being raised here.
This case may lead one to think that criticizing the police may result in them being criminally charged while not necessarily having free speech as a defense.
“The court said yes, it does infringe free speech, but if it gets grave enough or serious enough, if you really have this objective intention to defame . . . to untruthfully demolish their reputation in the public eye, then you ought not to be able to bring yourself under that free-speech protection,” said Hughes (Fredericton Gleaner).
